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Bioremediation

What is Bioremediation??
Using subsurface microorganisms to transform
hazardous contaminants into relatively harmless
byproducts, such as ethene and water
Biodegrade
Mineralize
Biotransform

Techniques or types of bioremediation:

A component of Natural Attenuation
Enhanced Bioremediation
Bioaugmentation
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Bioremediation
Bioremediation can be defined as any process that uses
microorganisms, fungi, green plants or their enzymes to return the
natural environment altered by contaminants to its original
condition.

Why use Bioremediation?

No additional disposal costs
Low maintenance
Does not create an eyesore
Capable of impacting
source zones and thus,
decreasing site clean-up
time

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Overview and applications

Naturally occurring bioremediation and phytoremediation have been
used for centuries (desalination of agricultural land by
phytoextraction).
Bioremediation technology using microorganisms was reportedly
invented by George M. Robinson. He was the assistant county
petroleum engineer for Santa Maria, California. During the 1960s, he
spent his spare time experimenting with dirty jars and various mixes
of microbes.

Overview and applications

Bioremediation technologies can be generally classified as in situ or
ex situ.
In situ bioremediation involves treating the contaminated material at
the site while ex situ involves the removal of the contaminated
material to be treated elsewhere.
Some examples of bioremediation technologies are bioventing,
landfarming, bioreactor, composting, bioaugmentation,
rhizofiltration, and biostimulation.

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Overview and applications

Naturally occurring bioremediation: natural attenuation or intrinsic
bioremediation
Bioremediation via the addition of fertilizers to increase the
bioavailability within the medium: biostimulation
Addition of matched microbe strains to the medium to enhance the
resident microbe population's ability to break down contaminants:
bioaugmentation

Treatment Techniques
Soil Extraction
Pump and Treat
Physical and/or reactive barriers
Air and Hydrogen Sparging
Biological (microbes)
Chemical (surfactants)

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Bioremediation Processes
Conversion of contaminants to mineralized (e.g.
CO2, H2O, and salts) end-products via biological
mechanisms
Biotransformation refers to a biological process
where the end-products are not minerals (e.g.,
transforming TCE to DCE)
Biodegradation involves the process of extracting
energy from organic chemicals via oxidation of the
organic chemicals

Requirements for Microbial Growth

Elect ron Accept or
( O2 , NO3 , SO4 2 - , et c.)

Toxicant s

Carbon/ Ener gy
Source

Environment al
Condit ions
( Temp, pH, Eh)

Nut rient s ( N, P)
Trace Element s
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Aerobic v. Anaerobic
If oxygen is the terminal electron acceptor, the process is called
aerobic biodegradation
All other biological degradation processes are classified as anaerobic
biodegradation
In most cases, bacteria can only use one terminal electron acceptor
Facultative aerobes use oxygen, but can switch to nitrate in the
absence of oxygen

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Bacterial Metabolism

Aerobic

Anaerobic

Oxidation

Denitrification

Cometabolism

Manganese reduction
Iron reduction
Sulfate reduction
Methanogenesis
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Overview and applications

Heavy metals such as cadmium and lead are not readily absorbed or
captured by organisms. The assimilation of metals such as mercury
into the food chain may worsen matters.
Phytoremediation is useful in these situations, because natural plants
or transgenic plants are able to bioaccumulate these toxins in their
above-ground parts, which are then harvested for removal.

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Advantages
the cost of the phytoremediation is lower than that of traditional processes
both in situ and ex situ
can be employed in areas that are inaccessible without excavation
the plants can be easily monitored
the possibility of the recovery and re-use of valuable metals (by companies
specializing in phyto mining)
it is potentially the least harmful method because it uses naturally
occurring organisms and preserves the environment in a more natural state

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